Holistic Sustainability

Sustainability is widely accepted as encompassing our
physical wellbeing through a healthy environment, as well as social and
economic dimensions.In Australia,
this was recognised in the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable
Development (NSESD) in 1992.One of the guiding principles enumerated by
the ESD Steering Committee is that “decision making processes should effectively
integrate both long and short term economic, environmental, social and equity
considerations.”The three areas of
ecological, social and economic sustainability are widely used as a triple
bottom line (TBL) guide to sustainability. The fourth area (Quadruple bottom line) is that of Spirit, long recognised by indigenous people as the first principle in sustainability.

In an address to the United Nations, Chief Oren Lyons (1993) spoke of
the unsustainability of our current human civilizations as “the life and path which defies the Laws
of Regeneration”.The Indian Chief candidly expressed the need for a major shift in the way we view
sustainability.

“Even though you and I are in different boats,
you in your boat and we in our canoe, we share the same River of Life. What befalls me, befalls you.

"And downstream, downstream in this River of Life, our children will pay for our selfishness, for our greed, and for our
lack of vision. 500 years ago, you came
to our pristine lands of great forests, rolling plains, crystal clear lakes and
streams and rivers. And we have suffered in your quest for God, for Glory, for
Gold. But, we have survived.

"Can we survive another 500 years of
"sustainable development?" I don't think so. Not in the definitions
you put `sustainable' in today. I don't think so.

“So reality
and the Natural Law will prevail; The Law of the Seed and Regeneration. We can
still alter our course. It is NOT
too late. We still have options.

"We need the courage to change our values to
the regeneration of our families, the life that surrounds us. Given this
opportunity, we can raise ourselves.

"We must join hands with the rest of
Creation and speak of Common Sense, Responsibility, Brotherhood, and PEACE. We
must understand that the law is
the seed and only as true partners can we survive.”

When we regard the ecological considerations of our natural
systems, the social inequities and challenges and the global economic crisis it
is clear that a major shift in policy and collective actions worldwide is
needed to bring the consumption of natural resources by our species to
potentially sustainable levels.

Such a radical transformation from our current lifestyles requires a shift
of focus from slowing the rate of harm to a reappraisal of what constitutes
sustainable human settlements and living conditions.Sustainability thus incorporates a
consideration of how we live and how we design our settlements, the focus of
our economic sectors, the principles behind our work practices, the development
of new “green” technologies and living lifestyles
that are within our resources intergenerationally and intragenerationally.